No37
Fifteen years after a metro terrorist blast consigns him to victim No37, a man returns home—alive, but
bearing a secret that threatens to unravel his family's fragile peace.
Fifteen years after a subway explosion that claimed their son Rasul, the Bahtiyar family lives in perpetual mourning. On the anniversary of the tragedy, Rasul inexplicably appears at their doorstep, alive but silent about his whereabouts. His sudden return shatters the family's fragile equilibrium, forcing each member—father Bahtiyar, mother Alia, elder brother Anuar and former wife Zeynep—to construct their own versions of the truth. Hidden wounds surface, and the family must confront the past, decide whether to forgive, and determine if they can ever truly let go.
'No37' is a psychologically charged family drama that fuses the intimacy of theatre with cinematic scope, offering a universal meditation on loss, memory and the uneasy path toward redemption.
Sham Studios is an independent cultural studio based in Kazakhstan, born from the stage
'No37' was born on stage, but its emotional weight demanded a cinematic language. Rather than a literal transfer, we re‑imagined the story through silence, distance and rhythm, exploiting the camera's intimacy while preserving the play's raw intensity. The film was financed independently, marketed in‑house and built around a practical, retro‑styled metro‑station set—no CGI was employed. Minimalist colour grading (greys, pale blues, beiges) and long, contemplative takes echo the stark Kazakh landscape that frames the opening and closing sequences, underscoring the psychological depth of the narrative.
A full metro station was recreated in retro style for the shoot
Crowd scenes were filmed without CGI/VFX
The story takes place in an unknown city and time — making it universal
Yerkebulan Daiyrov
as Rasul
Zarina Karmen
as Zeynep
Assan Mazhit
as Anuar
Tynyshkul Sultanberdiyeva
as Alia
Sagyzbay Karabalin
as Bahtiyar
Zhaidarbek Kunguzhinov
Assistant Director
Nursultan Bazarbay
Cinematographer
Shyryn Bazarkulova
Composer
Aliya Kossayeva
Production Designer
Nazar Sharkhan
Editor
Script and Dialogue: Ismail Iman (Original Play), Zhandos Aibassov (Screenplay Adaptation)
Director(feature debut)
Zhandos Aibassov (b. 1989, Almaty) is a Kazakh director, graduate of the T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts (Directing). He began his career with the Nomad Stunts team, contributing to various international productions. 'No37' marks his feature‑film debut, blending precise physicality with emotive storytelling.
Producer(feature debut)
Almat Quraq (b. 1997, Shymkent) is a Kazakh producer, actor and cultural manager, founder of the independent Sham Studios and talent agency Sham Talents. After a successful theatre career that reached 100 000+ spectators nationwide, he produced 'No37', Kazakhstan's first theatrical‑to‑screen crossover, positioning the film for an international audience.
Some families keep the dead alive through silence. They build a home around an empty chair, and over time the absence becomes a rule: don't touch it, don't name it, don't ask what it did to us. In 'No37' the son returns after fifteen years—not to restore what was lost, but to expose what has been hidden. His presence acts as a mirror; each family member sees a different truth, and each truth hurts in its own way. I made this film to give voice to grief that has no language, to portray the loneliness that persists even when people share a roof, and to explore the moment when love must choose: keep the past untouched—or finally confront it and survive.
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